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New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign for a uniform "Taxi of Tomorrow" in the city has been blocked by a court order. The city's Taxi and Limousine Commission exceeded its legal authority when it decided to require all taxi companies to buy the same vehicle, the Nissan NV200, state Justice Shlomo Hagler ruled. The city's Law Department said it will appeal.

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"Taxi TV" has been a fixture of New York City taxi rides for almost a decade, but its days may be numbered. The city's Taxi and Limousine Commission is scheduled to consider a pilot program to pull TVs out of some taxis and replace them with newer technology.

The New York state Court of Appeals has ruled that the city of New York was acting within its legal authority when it chose the Nissan NV200 model to be the "Taxi of Tomorrow." Judge Leslie E. Stein wrote that the decision "plainly fits within the purposes" of the Taxi and Limousine Commission.

A New York appeals court struck down a lower court's ruling that former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's "Taxi of Tomorrow" plan was illegal. Justice David Saxe ruled that requiring almost all taxi companies to buy the same vehicle is "consistent with the broad interests and perspectives" that the Taxi and Limousine Commission is required to implement.

An appeals court judge has ruled that New York City can proceed with its plan to bring a fleet of Nissan vans to the streets. The decision overturned a 2013 ruling that prohibited the city from exclusively purchasing one type of vehicle. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg created the "Taxi of Tomorrow" program in an effort to bring state-of-the-art automobiles to the city, but critics argue that the vehicles do not comply with the American with Disabilities Act. Meanwhile, a judge ruled that 50% of New York's taxis must be wheelchair-accessible by the end of the decade.

Nissan's NV200 van won a New York City "Taxi of Tomorrow" competition and the automaker is rolling out a $2 million to $3 million campaign to promote it. The van's victory was hailed as "the chance to be a new icon," said Rob Schwartz, chief creative officer at Nissan's agency, TBWA\Chiat\Day.